CBSE board exams answer sheets: CIC tells CBSE to charge as per RTI rules

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to provide copies of answer scripts sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by charging photocopying fees strictly in accordance with the RTI Rules, 2012.

The commission has also recommended that the CBSE amend its May 19, 2025 circular, which restricts candidates who obtain answer sheets under the RTI Act from subsequently seeking verification or revaluation. The CIC observed that such a restriction is inconsistent with the spirit of the transparency law.

The matter came before the commission following an RTI application filed by a Class 10 CBSE examination candidate seeking photocopies of his answer sheets. The candidate cited the high cost of the board's regular re-evaluation process and also raised concerns over the difficulty level of the Class 10 Mathematics Standard Set 3 paper, the implementation of the moderation policy and deductions in marks.

According to the application, the candidate faced charges of Rs 2,500 for photocopies of answer sheets for five subjects and another Rs 2,500 for re-verification, while re-evaluation involved a fee of Rs 100 per question.

The total expenditure could potentially reach Rs 10,000. The candidate requested CBSE to provide photocopies of his answer sheets under the RTI Act, citing the high cost of the regular process. The board's Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), in a response dated July 2, 2025, informed the candidate that the requested answer books had been sent to him by email after receipt of the prescribed fee.

The candidate subsequently filed a first appeal, raising concerns about blank pages in the answer books, the mathematics moderation policy and the evaluation of his answer sheet. The First Appellate Authority, however, observed that these issues were different from the original RTI queries and sought explanations and analytical responses.

During the CIC hearing, the CPIO submitted that the answer sheet had been supplied after the candidate paid photocopying charges prescribed under the RTI Rules, 2012. The CPIO also referred to CBSE's May 19, 2025 circular, which allows candidates to obtain copies of answer books under the RTI Act but states that requests for verification or revaluation cannot be made under the RTI framework.

The CIC took exception to this provision, observing that preventing a candidate from seeking revaluation merely because they obtained their answer sheet through the RTI Act runs contrary to the spirit of the law and its rules.

The CIC also cited the Supreme Court's April 11, 2019 judgment in ICSI vs Paras Jain, which held that remedies available under an institution's own guidelines and those available under the RTI framework are not mutually exclusive.

The commission accordingly directed CBSE to provide answer scripts sought under the RTI Act by charging photocopying fees strictly as prescribed under the RTI Rules, 2012. It also cautioned the CPIO to exercise due diligence in handling such matters in the future and recommended that CBSE amend its May 19, 2025 circular under Section 25(5) to bring it in conformity with the RTI Act.